they sure do touch each other a lot

Linda Montano and Tehching Hsieh, Art/Life: One Year Performance 1983-1984 (Rope Piece). For one year, the two artists remain tied together at the waist by an eight foot rope. They are not allowed to touch one another.

From a 1984 interview with Alex and Allyson Grey:

A&AG: Now that you’ve been tied together for almost a year, how do you feel about each other?

TH: I think Linda is the most honest person I’ve known in my life and I feel very comfortable to talk—to share my personality with her. That’s enough. I feel that’s pretty good. We had a lot of fights and I don’t feel that is negative. Anybody who was tied this way, even if they were a nice couple, I’m sure they would fight, too. This piece is about being like an animal, naked. We cannot hide our negative sides. We cannot be shy. It’s more than just honesty—we show our weakness.

LM: Tehching is my friend, confidant, lover, son, opponent, husband, brother, playmate, sparring partner, mother, father, etc. The list goes on and on. There isn’t one word or one archetype that fits. I feel very deeply for him.

The only problem with Levi and Eren openly being a couple is that the higher powers would start to question Levi’s ability to kill Eren should he become a menace to society. They would assume that Levi’s affection for Eren would hinder Levi’s duty to keep him under control.

So here are some secret couple head canons:

-Eren sitting next to Levi at every opportunity and holding his hand beneath the table. Or tapping his foot on Levi’s toes. Thighs and shoulders touching.

-Levi spending extra time making sure that Eren’s cleaning is up to his standards. Lots of Levi putting his hand over Eren’s and “this is how you do it.”

-Patching each other up after battles.

-Accidental touching. All the time.

-“Eren I need a word with you in my office.” Then lots of making out and fucking quietly against the door.

-Patrolling together at night and holding hands.

-Eren making a pot of tea before he goes to bed because he knows Levi will be awake most of the night.

-Levi going into Eren’s room with the excuse to check on him. Sometimes Eren is awake and they will talk and kiss and have sex. Sometimes he’s sleeping and Levi will just sit beside him and read and pet his hair.

-Levi praising Eren after a good practice session or a battle and Eren getting worked up because Levi praising him turns him on.

-Gazing into each other’s eyes but everyone thinks it’s an alpha male staring contest thing because whenever one of them blinks the other goes “I win.”

-Silently communicating with facial expressions.

-Pretending to be fighting to get physically close to each other and maybe roll around on the ground a bit or push the other up against a wall.

-Almost taking their pretend fighting games too far and having to cool off in separate rooms.

-Walking in on the other when they know that the other one is getting changed or in the shower as an excuse to see them naked.

-Eren perched on the arm rest of the couch so that Levi can lean his head against Eren’s side.

-Going for horse back rides alone together under the guise of scouting so they can fool around a little.

-Kissing instead of biting shoulders to muffle moans since they can’t leave physical marks on each other.

-Nails and teeth grazing along flesh but never breaking it. Just pretending like they can.

-Shoulder massages after a long day of work.

-Levi suddenly becoming the king of dirty jokes and looking at Eren whenever he says them (not so subtle, Levi).

-Levi polishing Eren’s dirty boots as both a kindness to Eren and his own need for cleanliness.

-Levi making cookies one day and giving the only heart-shaped one to Eren.

Their squads knowing that they are a couple but letting them keep pretending just in case someone from the Interior happens to come along for an unexpected visit.

Because there is apparently a lot of confusion, let’s talk about what consent actually is.

It’s not just two people staring lovingly into each other’s eyes while “enthusiastically” saying “yes.”

It’s two (or more) people who have the same ability to refuse, agreeing to perform some activity or exchange.

Now, that can absolutely mean the whole “enthusiastic yes” thing. It can also mean a deep sigh and a, “yeah sure, but only because I like you.”

I consent to do laundry even though touching wet clothes is gross, because other people in my household A) have other responsibilities and B) need clean clothes. Am I ever going to be enthusiastic about that? Absolutely not, as stated, wet clothes are gross. But it’s not like I’m being abused into doing some damn laundry, either.

Any time there is an agreement, any time there is an exchange, any time an activity that involves more than one person takes place, that’s a time where consent is involved (at least, ideally).

And any time some of the people involved have less power than others, there is the risk of coercion, intimidation, or violation that break the possibility of consent.

“Ability to refuse” is an important point, the key point.

If you aren’t allowed or capable of saying no to something, then you aren’t capable of consenting to it either.

This is why, for example, relationships between children and adults are never consensual: even if the child thinks they want to be in this situation, they fundamentally lack the ability to refuse freely and safely, due to the power imbalance, and therefore are incapable of consent.

Similar consent-robbing effects can manifest as a result of trauma and such, but that’s much more complicated, and when in doubt, where adults are concerned, let the supposed “victim” decide from themselves what counts, or does not count, as possibility of refusal.

And, more obviously, if you do refuse, and that refusal is ignored, then you are being violated. It is also, unfortunately, evidence that you never actually had the option of genuinely consenting in that situation in the first place.

The net effect of that is, for example, seen in long term abusive situations. In light of a violent attack, even previously consensual-seeming activities are now cast in a disturbing new light that can create or exacerbate trauma itself. It is literally watching your reality be rewritten to reveal a lot more danger than you were ever allowed to know about. And the danger usually still exists all around you, too.

So, in the end, consent is about agreement and about refusal:

The agreement can only happen when refusal is a safe, equally accessible possibility.

but i’m so sure magnus and alec have to absolutely always be touching each other

like, what other side of the bed??? ¿¿¿ i’m gonna sleep half on top of you with my head on your chest like chairman meow

also, what do you mean you can’t cook when i’m hugging you alexander??? what kind of shadowhunter are you???

and, alec darling lift your head for a sec so i can turn the page

and a whole lot of showering together to “”“” save water “”“”

also a shitload of playing with the other’s hair while their hand is draped over the other’s shoulder while they talk to people (((it makes alec blush like a freaking tomato)))

and when they’re fighting they’re a badass a blur of seraph blade and blue sparks and they’re always back-to-back so they can protect each other but also having their shoulders press together gives them strength

(((the only time they’re ever apart is when magnus puts on his make up and it pisses alec tf off so he often comes to kiss him and messes it up)))

and it had me thinking… what was the rest of their bodies doing? I’m pretty sure they were actually laying down, and not just standing next to each other with a rotated screen… so, obviously link wasn’t laying perfectly on top of rhett, that would be uncomfortable and Link most likely would’ve fallen off. so the only thing other than that was Link was straddling him. he must’ve had his legs… around…rhett’s….waist….. and they were close I’m talking CLOSE. touching. probably a little rubbing… i mean, it was either that OR Link rested one/both of his legs between rhett’s… either one is good with me

Reasons I ship Star x Marco

1. Their chemistry is just WAY TOO GOOD. I was immediately sold on it at the end of episode one like “F*CK, THEY ARE AWESOME”.

2. They hug and touch each other. A LOT. I mean, sure, friends do this…but even for best friends, they are insanely close. I don’t think many teenagers in plationic relationships hold hands as much as they do.

3. Marco helps keep Star from going out of control but Star brings joy into his life. In other words, it’s a balanced relationship where both of them gives something back to the other.

4. Neither one can stand it when the other is sad and they go to ridiculous lengths to cheer each other up. I mean ridiculous.

5. ^ And it actually works. They can make each other laugh and smile even during the crappiest of times.

6. They treat each other well and are considerate of each other’s feelings. When they fight, they apologize quickly and get right back to being on fantastic terms.

7. Because Tom is a jerk….and well….evil. lol

8. The other people they crush on are not interesting. The crushes feel shallow and they don’t really go anywhere. Which I think means something.

9. They are opposite enough to balance each other out but similar enough to not fight all the time. They just click.

10. I didn’t need to see fanart or read fanfics to convince me to ship them. I merely watched the first 11 minutes of this show and said “Yes.”

11. Because they are f*cking cuter than a puppy and kitten trying to climb into the same slipper in both looks and interaction.

I noticed something with Kaisoo…. I know people are like “duuuh it’s just fan service (which is even ridiculous, cuz most of it happens in secret or off spot light) bla bla”… but, after watching a lot of stuff and being in a relationship myself, I noticed a certain thing:

the urge for skin ship.

it’s known that korean guys/men touch each other more than western people would, but the way they touch and how often is something that really only couples do. Like making sure everyone knows they are together or just needing the feeling of the others’ touch or having the urge to touch your significant other, to have some kind of connection. And I looked at the places on their bodies they touch each other and how and compared it to how I touch my boyfriend or how he touches me and it is quite similar. It’s a way of reassurance… like: “you’re mine”.

Of course we delusional shippers could also just see stuff and make everything up… but really, if you ask non kpoppers or just gay couples or hetero couples… they would all say Jongin and Kyungsoo are together. It’s the way they do it, not even that they do it or the amount. It’s how they show affection for each other and that is definitely more than just friendship.

okay so I watched the GotG trailer and now imagine this, imagine there’s like a fairy or magical being or whatever in the Enchanted Forest who can read people’s thoughts and feelings

and Emma & Co are on a quest and there is sexual tension galore between Emma and a certain pirate but she refuses to admit it even after they fight together and almost lose each other and so on, so they’re just constantly at loggerheads, and then for whatever reason they need this fairy’s help, but she doesn’t really trust them, so Emma has to let her touch her and read her heart to make sure it’s true

and she’s like “you have a lot of love in you” and Emma’s a little embarrassed but “well I’m the product of True Love and I do love my family so yeah”

but then it’s like “no no I mean romantic love… for him” and she points at Killian

words of affirmation (saying nice things, lots of i love you and appreciate you, etc)

quality time (intentional one-on-one time, dates, etc)

acts of service (doing nice things for each other - make them dinner, run an errand for them, help out w something stressful, etc)

gifts (buy them something nice)

physical affection (touching, cuddling, sex)

everyone has primary and secondary love languages, and if you know what yours are and what your partners are, it’s way easier to know how to connect and share love and make sure both people feel love

like if one person is all about quality time and someone else is all about acts of service, it can feel like the love needs aren’t being met, but really you just aren’t matching each others love languages you feel me?? THIS IS HELPFUL AS FUCK. Start asking people what their love languages are.

Commissioned from emyartist, who’s awesome because I just did so yesterday! This is referenced from a scene from Love and Other Drugs–I really liked how cozy they looked, each doing their own thing but still finding ways to keep touching each other. Elsa here is fiddling with Tadashi’s hair XD

Hooray it's open 👍👍. First off, good luck I'm sure you have a lot to do! And second, could I request Iwaizumi, Oikawa, Kageyama, Tsukishima, Kuroo, Lev, and Bokuto reacting to their crush falling on them and ending up in a suggestive position •////• Thanks

Thank you~! Ohoho (￣ω￣)

Iwaizumi immediately blurted, “Sorry!” while hastily trying to decide where it was safe to touch, if he was even allowed to touch. He and his crush both ended up helping each other stand with many accidental, awkward touches along the way. Iwaizumi wouldn’t be able to look at them for a while after that.

Oikawa stared at his crush in genuine shock, but it only lasted a second before he quickly put on a goading smile. “So forward~ Are you trying to tell me something?” he asked insufferably as he tried not to notice, well, anything. He was flustered, really flustered, but he also didn’t make an effort in moving.

Kageyama’s mind went blank. “Um,” he heard himself saying. He tried not to focus on their current position. “Could you maybe… Could you please, uh, move?” It wasn’t out of rudeness that he said this. Rather, Kageyama was deathly afraid something wrong was going to happen again if he tried amending the problem.

Tsukishima, usually so calm, found his mind going into shambles. He grimaced and cursed as a hot blush took over his face. “Watch where you’re going,” he griped as his crush hurried to stand. Tsukishima would have rather stayed on the floor to brood in shame, but he accepted the hand his crush offered to help him up.

For once, Kuroo was stunned into silence, his breath hitching by how close his crush was. He knew he should feel embarrassed but instead he felt oddly amazed by this outcome. His crush was the first to stand no thanks to him, and Kuroo remembered to cordially apologize, feeling bad that his crush was so mortified.

Lev didn’t know what to do, what to think. His body went on autopilot, and he ended up bonking foreheads with his crush in his haste to get up. All manners escaped him and, after blurting out an incoherent apology, he fled down the hall. Lev kept replaying the moment in his head afterward, much to his embarrassment.

Bokuto’s eyes widened as he stared at his crush, mouth slightly agape. They were in close proximity, just a hair’s breadth away, but he just couldn’t look away. Maybe he should apologize and pull back? Maybe he should lean in? Before he could realize what he was thinking, his crush had already scrambled onto their feet.

Anonymous asked: Hi :) So I have a fantasy story with a female protagonist. In her adventures, she befriends a male character, and he helps her with her quest and becomes a loyal companion. But he is NOT a love interest. I’m worried about how to make that clear, because I feel like readers will expect a romantic subplot from them. Do you have any advice?

I’ve been getting this question a lot lately, and the bad news is, if your readers want to pair up two characters in their mind, there is almost nothing you can do about it. I’ve seen fans of various fandoms pair up characters that can barely stand each other, much less interact in any meaningful way. All you can really do is make sure you avoid creating any sort of romantic tension between them. Here are some ideas:

2) Give them some anti-chemistry - give them opposite likes and dislikes, have them get on each other’s nerves, have them disagree with each other frequently, and intentionally push each other’s buttons.
3) Establish a non-romantic relationship - if it’s appropriate, you can have them come to see each other as being like a sibling, or you can have them become best friends.
4) Tie-up their hearts elsewhere - nothing will quash romantic expectations faster than an off-screen romantic interest. Have the guy talk about “the girl back home” or have the protagonist let slip about her own love interest. Maybe they tease each other about their love interests, perhaps they discuss them seriously and advise each other, or maybe they commiserate with the sadness of being apart from them.
That’s a good start, anyway! :)